Eat, walk, hike, lose zero???

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SugarFreePanda
SugarFreePanda Posts: 18 Member
in Introduce Yourself
hi all! I have used MFP on an off for a while... have been dedicated to it for 2+ months. That includes tracking my food intake (only a few days of over-caloric intake), increasing my exercise routine (I walk/hike 2-3 times/week). I eat a fairly healthy diet, mostly vegan with added protein foods (and occasionally fish and chicken when I feel low energy). I rarely eat fast food, beyond a weekly vegetarian burrito.

Guess what? I have not lost a single pound! After changing the battery in our home scale, it shows that I gained 3 lbs. WHAT??? Even more important, I just went out and bought the largest size jeans I have ever owned in my life. HELP! I need encouragement.

What do I do? I have read many posts this week, trying to figure out what else needs to change. I am absolutely stuck. But I am not giving up!

I have tried to focus on the fact that all my hard work IS making me healthier, but still. I need more.

The other day, I went on a hike (3 hours/7+ miles). I carried (and consumed) 600 calories on the hike (trailmix, fresh fruit, 1/2 peanut butter sandwich, colored peppers, lotsa water). I got home, calculated my exercise calories (1800 cals!). I even checked 3 separate resources because that seemed like such a large number. According to MFP, I had to reconsume those 1800 cals. This seemed crazy to me. Is this right? When I read a few posts on this question, that seems to be

After my hike, I CRASHED FOR A 3 HOUR NAP. I want to exercise (of course), but cannot be napping after each workout.

I know that this is long, would love to hear from my fellow MFPs...

Thank you,
Sugarfree Panda
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Replies

  • gelar93
    gelar93 Posts: 160
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    First thing, open your diary
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    are you measuring your food with a scale and logging everything you eat including salad dressing, ketchup, etc? you only list the food you ate for the hike - what about all your other meals?
  • amandzor
    amandzor Posts: 386 Member
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    First thing, open your diary

    This. Or what's the point?

    Also, just because you expend a lot of energy one day doesn't mean you'll magically lose x amount of pounds. The body is a complex system, it could be that you ate more calories than you thought you did, or your calories burned was off. Maybe you've been holding water to repair your muscles.

    Either way. The trick to weightloss is consistency. Eventually, moving more and eating less is going to work.
  • SugarFreePanda
    SugarFreePanda Posts: 18 Member
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    I thought it was... just reset it to 'everyone'.
  • SugarFreePanda
    SugarFreePanda Posts: 18 Member
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    My diary is open now. let me know it you can view it.

    As far as measuring, yes, I measure everything. I rarely use dressing, ketchup, never use syrup or jelly. Prefer to skip the condiments most of the time.
  • mebepiglet123
    mebepiglet123 Posts: 327 Member
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    Still cannot see dairy
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Your diary is not public.

    If you're gaining weight, then you're eating more than you burn. You're underestimating your food &/or overestimating your burns. Get a digital scale, and weigh everything you eat—even packaged foods. Learn to find accurate database entries. (There's a lot of junk data in there.) Log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.

    The Sexypants post should be required reading: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    read the below again. it's a question of biology - if you burn more than you eat, you WILL lose weight. log EVERY bite accurately, then review. and if you want accurate burn, use a heart rate monitor.

    If you're gaining weight, then you're eating more than you burn. You're underestimating your food &/or overestimating your burns. Get a digital scale, and weigh everything you eat—even packaged foods. Learn to find accurate database entries. (There's a lot of junk data in there.) Log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    To make your diary public, go here, scroll all the way down, check "public" & save changes: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
  • SugarFreePanda
    SugarFreePanda Posts: 18 Member
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    diary should be open now!
  • NerdyAdventurer
    NerdyAdventurer Posts: 166 Member
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    Don't trust this to tell you how many calories you burned either.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Do you use a food scale to weigh your foods?

    How are you calculating your burns?
  • NerdyAdventurer
    NerdyAdventurer Posts: 166 Member
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    Whoops, pressed Post before I was done.

    The exercise calories on here I think I ridiculously generous. I just got back from a 5.5 hour hike, I only wrote in that I was hiking for 4 hours, and it said I burned over 2,000 calories. I call BS.
  • SugarFreePanda
    SugarFreePanda Posts: 18 Member
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    love this post! Thank you.
  • greengoddess0123
    greengoddess0123 Posts: 417 Member
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    Just a cursory look at your diary appears to show some logging inaccuracies. 3 ounces of banana is more like 75 calories. 15 grapes will depend on the size of the grapes. One medium apple -- medium is relative and can be off by 50 calories or more.

    It doesn't look like you are weighing solid foods on a food scale. If this is the case, you are very likely underestimating your calories and overestimating your exercise burns. The good news is, this is easily fixed. :smile:

    Get yourself a food scale, and learn 1) to use it to weigh foods accurately and 2) to find the correct food entries in the MFP database. The best entries have no asterisk (*) and are confirmed by hundreds or thousands of members. These entries also give a drop down menu to choose how to measure (grams is the most accurate).

    I bet with some tightening of your food/exercise log, you can fix this fast. :drinker:

    ETA: Read the sexypants link that editorgrrrl posted. Good stuff in that.
  • SugarFreePanda
    SugarFreePanda Posts: 18 Member
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    hi PikaKnight

    I do use a food scale to measure my foods, but not all of the time. I will be more diligent about doing that. I also have used MFP readings, which sounds like may not be the most accurate.

    To calculate my burns, I have also been using MFP readings... and sometimes go online to double check the cals.

    Thank you!
  • InsanityxthexGit
    InsanityxthexGit Posts: 3
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    First, as everyone said, there could be calculation errors and your net calorie intake is higher than what is logged in.
    Second, our bodies are resistant to changing at first and will try to hold onto that weight. After two months, you should have lost some weight, but this is a point to consider.
    Third, if we do not get enough nutrition, our bodies will go into starvation mode. What this means is that our metabolism slows and food is turned into fat before it can be burned. You could actually be undereating.
    Fourth, you could have a thyroid problem. Symptoms of hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) include unexplained weight gain. Blood tests can be done to determine if this is the cause, and hypothyroidism can be treated with medication.
  • zenalasca
    zenalasca Posts: 563 Member
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    Get a fitbit. Having that helped me lose weight even without a kitchen scale. The kitchen scale just made it easier to record food accurately.
  • SugarFreePanda
    SugarFreePanda Posts: 18 Member
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    I agree, NerdyAdventur. I was floored to think I burned 1800 cals on my hike!

    Does anyone have recommended apps for tracking more accurate calorie burning numbers?
  • SugarFreePanda
    SugarFreePanda Posts: 18 Member
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    thank you!

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